Teams : From 'Ideology' to Analysis

Abstract

This paper challenges the thesis of Sinclair (1992) that current managerial experimentation with teams can be understood using the concept of a 'team ideology'. The latter notion is shown to be reductionist, preventing a proper historical and sociological analysis of the phenomenon. The theoretical value of long-standing contingency approaches for such an analysis is reaffirmed, but their limits are also outlined in order to clarify the directions organizational theory must take to fully understand the delicate 'embedding' of teams in organizations.